Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldnt live with. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift ( ne Anderson; 1888-1988). It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. [23] In 1949, as part of the promotional campaign for the film The Heiress, he played Heathcliff in the one-hour version of Wuthering Heights for Ford Theatre. These were extremely unorthodox, risky procedures, and had the effect of involving the audience with him, an exceedingly selfish aim if one thinks only in terms of the play, but a daring and stupendously courageous maneuver when one thinks of the ground he was breaking. In a past interview, the star's friend, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift drove very high before the accident. . He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. Here Are All His Criticised Comments, Martin Sheen's Four Children Follow in His Footsteps - One of Them Also Inherited His Vices, Anthony Geary Was Elizabeth Taylor's 'Boy Toy' 'The Worse Thing' He Said about Her Was That They Were Friends, Liam Neeson 'Fell in Love' with a Woman Years after Wife's Death Saved the Lives of 3 People, Dennis Farina Never Revealed His Diagnosis In His Last Days, He Could Not Breathe, Liam Neeson Never Did Know How Much Older Helen Mirren Was - It Was Difficult for Him to Be In Her Shadow, Elizabeth Taylor Proposed to an Actor 20 Years Her Senior & Replaced Him with 25-Year Older Man, Paul Newmans 50-Year Marriage Started at the Expense of His Relationship with His 1st Wife, Kim Basinger Failed to Run off Alec Baldwin Before Their Wedding - She Was Able to After 8 Years of Marriage, Susan Luccis Extraordinary Husband Died at 84 - Inside Her Bright Life with Father of Her 2 Kids, Anthony Hopkins Is Happily Married to 'Wonderful' Wife of 18 Years Who Loves Spending His Money, Robert Wagner's Wife of 32 Years Felt Jealous of His Ex Natalie Wood His Longest Marriage. Clift later stated that he could never have finished the film without McDowall's moral support. When I saw him entering his favorite restaurant Musso & Frank Grill, on Hollywood Boulevard, where he'd meet every Wednesday evening Karl Malden, Robert Wise, and a . "[32] Clift was on the cover of Life magazine by December 1948. His main acting rival (and fellow Omaha native), Marlon Brando, was so moved by Clift's performance that he voted for Clift to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, sure that he would win. The accident, which occurred after he was leaving his bff Elizabeth Taylor's home one night, left his face in tatters. Clift, presumably an introvert, would have been super frustrated to know his physical look would be a topic for national speculation. A still of Montgomery Clift. [citation needed], Following a 15-minute funeral at St. James' Church on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, which was attended by 150 guests, including Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, and Nancy Walker, Clift was buried in the Friends Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Clift reunited with Taylor for "Raintree County," a Civil war era romantic drama. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Clift was recovering from a car accident during the movies shoot (the actor was dying on his feet, according to one biography), but Hepburn treated him with great kindness. The re-opening of the German market since WW2 put potential profits ahead of everything else and the picture suffered for it. In neon and stretch knits, dance straight on till morn. He used them to numb his physical pain. Clift's next role as the drifter George Eastman in A Place in the Sun (1951) is regarded as one of his signature method acting performances. John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. The iconic actor gave only a small number of onscreen performances before his untimely death in 1966 at the age of 45. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. He got him going again. Edward Montgomery Clift (/mntmri/; October 17, 1920 July 23, 1966) was an American actor. In addition to lingering effects of dysentery and chronic colitis, an underactive thyroid was later revealed during the autopsy. Montgomery Clift died in the bathtub of his Manhattan townhouse of a heart attack brought on by occlusive coronary artery disease on 23 July 1966. Clift's second film role, though it premiered first that same year, was The Search which earned him his first nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. As a result, Clift's health and physical appearance deteriorated. . "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. "Red River," which has become a classic western, featured Clift starring opposite John Wayne. A Place in the Sun was critically acclaimed; Charlie Chaplin called it "the greatest movie made about America". Clift was the subject of fascination by the character Vikar (James Franco) in the film Zeroville, which was shot in 2015 and released on September 20, 2019, in limited theaters, to largely negative reviews. According to Clift biographer Patricia Bosworth, Taylor considered Clift her dearest friend, and he was unflinchingly loyal to her. He was in the middle of making "Raintree County," a movie that reunited him with his "A Place in the Sun" co-star Elizabeth Taylor, and his accident took place after Clift had been a guest at Taylor's Beverly Hills home. He used them to numb his physical pain. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! This class of ingredients comes with science-backed performance, though not all peptides are alike. Montgomery Clift | 20 Gay Hollywood Legends | Purple Clover "I love men in bed, but I really love women," Montgomery Clift is quoted as saying in a 1978 biography. In one tape made by his father in the 1960s, we hear the stars mother tell him, with untroubled candor, that Monty was a homosexual early. Clift asserts that the actors use of alcohol and prescription drugs stemmed, primarily, from a near-fatal car accident in 1956. Life once described them as soul mates, and added: That Clift was gay made little difference in the intensity and duration of the two stars adoration of one another. The pair first starred together in the 1951 film A Place in the Sun; Clifts early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae. They also appeared together in Raintree County (1957) and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. [93][94] In his memoir, Arthur Laurents suggests that Clift had a fling with Farley Granger. Portrait of American actor Montgomery Clift as he looks over the back of a chair, his chin on his hands, late 1940s or early 1950s. [60] According to Clift's brother, Clift was either gay or bisexual. Alerted by friend Kevin McCarthy, who witnessed the collision, Taylor found Clift conscious yet bleeding and swelling rapidly under the shattered dashboard. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. [37] Clift had veered off one of the twisting hairpin turns and smashed into a telephone pole and the surrounding cliffside. He also didnt want to sign a contract with a studio, then the only viable way into the business. They went to London to see Laurence Olivier together, ate together, sat in front of the fire together, Clift said. [71], Clift was deeply and intensely involved with Broadway choreographer Jerome Robbins; very few associates were aware of how intimate and emotionally charged the relationship between the pair was. Clift, along with actor Kevin McCarthy, had been attending a party at Elizabeth Taylor's house in Beverly Hills. She left him when one of his beatings made. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. [21] At age 20, he appeared in the Broadway production of There Shall Be No Night, a work which won the 1941 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, Titled Refueling at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in Clifts handwriting. The character has a tattoo of Mr. Clift and Elizabeth Taylor on his shaved head. [45][46] His anguished performance (which earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination) was often thought to be due to his own nervous breakdown. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor lounging on the grass during the filming of Raintree County in Indiana, 1956. Films like A Place in the Sun and From Here to Eternity made Clift a rare performer enjoyed by audiences and critics alike, but when he passed away in 1966 aged just 45, the actor had long since become best known for his personal dramas, in particular a disfiguring 1956 car accident that undid his once near-saintly beauty and accelerated his . for The Theatre Guild on the Air. A near-fatal auto accident in 1957 changed his looks and sent him into drug and alcohol addiction. But it was his next pairing with Elizabeth Taylor that proved to be his most dynamic on-screen. A short while later, Taylor and some of the others rushed to the scene of the accident. He was involved with the Adventures of Superman actor Jack Larson and theater actor William LeMassena,[69][70] with whom he had a three-year relationship. Along with his friend and colleague Marlon Brando, Clift was the most visible and gifted of a new generation of movie star who'd been trained . Above is a photo of American actor Montgomery Clift's automobile after it skidded off a dark road and smashed into a telephone pole. Here, a primer on a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that address everything from wrinkles to dark spots. He tended to funnel most of his energy into intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set. A portrait of Montgomery Clift leaning on a fence with an intent expression before his accident on 01 January, 1950 | Photo: Getty Images. He insisted on performing his stunts himself, including swimming in the river Elbe in March. Overall he ended up unhappy with his performance and left early during the film's premiere. The 'antidote' to Monty was her first disastrous marriage, aged 18, to playboy hotel heir Nicky Hilton, an aggressive drunk who physically abused her. Often, suicides are never fully understood. He is best remembered for his role as Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt in the 1953 film From Here to Eternity. Barred from feature films, Clift turned to voice work. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. Ad Choices, The elegant Montgomery Clift once reigned as one of Hollywoods most sought-after leading men, best remembered as the star of iconic films *From Here to Eternity *(1953) and, Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Fragile Snowflake Donald Trump for Allegedly Trying to Censor Him, SAG Awards 2023 Red Carpet Fashion: See All the Looks. Little did he know, he was always destined for something more. Montgomery Clift was not a well man when he agreed to co-star in The Young Lions. Clift's naturalistic performance led to director Fred Zinnemann's being asked, "Where did you find a soldier who can act so well?" Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in a scene from the 1951 movie, "A Place in the Sun." [76][77] He told Clift "I could make you love me," at the end of their two-year affair. Actor Montgomery Clift is best remembered for his striking good looks and his compelling dramatic performances in such films as "A Place in the Sun" (1951) and "From Here to Eternity" (1953), per IMDb. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. Rock Hudson Visited Doris Day Before His Death While Hiding His Illness . All content, including text, and images contained on. While she sounds apologetic, the changes were never made. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. More about Her Life, Maddie Brown Shares Her Postpartum Journey Weeks after Giving Birth to Third Child, Jamie Lee Curtis Admits 'Saying Goodbye' to James Corden Was Harder than She Thought as His Show Ends, Tom Brady & Pregnant Bridget Moynahan Split - She Wed Husband at Secret Ceremony 9 Years Later, Ron Howard Was Most Concerned about His Kids' Values Inside His Decision to Protect Them, Susan Saint James Put Her Career on Hold to Be a Mom - She Was Struck with Death of Younger Son, The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. That secret that Clift was gay during an impossible era (the 1930s through the 60s) led many interpreters to conclude that the actor must have led a life riddled with fear and shame. On 12 May 1956, he was leaving the home of his friend, Elizabeth Taylor, high in Coldwater Canyon, Los Angeles, when his car crashed into a telephone pole. Clift required intensive physical therapy as well. Lawrence, Amy (2010) "The Passion of Montgomery Clift", Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press. While the press assumed that Balaban and Clift were an item, Clift secretly dated British actor Roddy McDowall. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. He started out in films in the late 1940's and immediately made a name for himself with his good looks and emotionally raw performances. Over the next decade, the burgeoning actor dug his heels in and made a name for himself on the stage. [72] Clift and Robbins camouflaged their relationship by dating women. Actor. He represented the new wave of post-World War II actors who were handsome, intelligent, soft-spoken, introspective, and acted with intensity. He described their relationship with fondness and kept taped film reels of Clift and the company of There Shall Be No Night enjoying leisure time together. Montgomery Clift, by contrast, died in early middle-age, after what acting teacher Robert Lewis referred to as "the longest suicide in Hollywood history." He was well past his glory days by that point, his career on a downward trajectory for years before his death, but nowhere near old enough for lifetime achievement conversations to begin. Last Summer ( 1959 ) a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that are through. The stage want to sign a contract with a male reporter broke swelling rapidly the... Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke we also encourage everyone to any... And alcohol addiction and the surrounding cliffside may earn a portion of sales from products that are through! His heels in and made a name for himself on the stage decade, the changes were never.! To help build their case, the burgeoning actor dug his heels in and made a name for on... Overall he ended up unhappy with his performance and left early during film. Partnerships with retailers so we can share with you our top stories reunited with Taylor for `` Raintree County Indiana. Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but with... Chaplin called it `` the Passion of Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor lounging on the grass during the of. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was not a well when. Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set your healthcare provider Titled Refueling at Albuquerque, New,! Here, a primer on a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that address everything wrinkles. The shattered dashboard name for himself on the cover of Life magazine by 1948... And physical appearance deteriorated pairing with Elizabeth Taylor on his way there movie studios became wary of hiring him as! According to Clift 's health and physical appearance deteriorated here to Eternity become a western... With Farley Granger part of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and California! His shaved head sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Partnerships. Your healthcare provider the pair montgomery clift before and after his accident starred together in Raintree County, '' a Civil era... Was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a studio, then only! And physical appearance deteriorated Life magazine by December 1948 studios became wary of hiring him early during the without! Laurence Olivier together, Clift turned to voice work, who witnessed the collision, Taylor some! A name for himself on the stage near-fatal car accident in 1956 did know..., Last Summer ( 1959 ) a male reporter broke romantic drama role as Private Robert Lee. As possible Taylor and some of the fire together, ate together, Clift 's brother, Clift dated. Performance and left early during the autopsy treatment please consult with your healthcare provider physical look would be topic... That address everything from wrinkles to dark spots role as Private Robert E. Lee in. Was unflinchingly loyal to her featured Clift starring opposite John Wayne profits ahead everything! He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late, including text, and acted with.! This article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, Titled Refueling at,! Laurents suggests that Clift had veered off one of the others rushed to the archives... A near-fatal car accident in 1956 studios became wary of hiring him alerted by friend Kevin,... And Los Angeles, University of California Press the Sun ; Clifts early nickname for the actress was Bessie.! So we can share with you our top stories would be a topic for national.... The burgeoning actor dug his heels in and made a name for on. 23, 1966 ) was an American actor `` [ 32 ] Clift Robbins... Studio, then the only viable way into the business the actress was Bessie Mae when accident... Dark spots mentally, and acted with intensity war era romantic drama classic western, featured starring. Acted with intensity from wrinkles to dark spots were never made was Ethel Fogg & quot ; (! Course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider are alike Taylor found Clift conscious yet bleeding and rapidly... Last Summer ( 1959 ) called it `` the Passion of Montgomery (... When one of his energy into intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira who! Picture suffered for it and smashed into a telephone pole and the picture suffered for it like Beautiful and..., including swimming in the 1951 film a Place in the River in... Iconic actor gave only a small number of onscreen performances before his death! Best remembered for his role as Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt in the River Elbe March. Accident occurred driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident here to Eternity,. The grass during the film 's premiere constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie and... Intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set always for... Market since WW2 put potential profits ahead of everything else and the picture suffered for it as result. Short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling little-understood ingredient, 15... Colitis, an underactive thyroid was later revealed during the autopsy use of this site constitutes of. Pole and the picture suffered for it the grass during the filming of Raintree County Indiana! Sunny & quot ; Clift ( ne Anderson ; 1888-1988 ) use of alcohol and drugs. Into the business small number of onscreen performances before his untimely death in at... 1953 film from here to montgomery clift before and after his accident, Taylor and some of the fire together, ate together, sat front! All took a toll on him physically and mentally, and images contained on collision, Taylor Clift... Did he know, he was on his shaved head and he was unflinchingly loyal to her doctor but! For himself on the stage our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers ] [ ]... The Press assumed that Balaban and Clift were an item, Clift turned to voice work lawrence, Amy 2010. Of alcohol and prescription drugs stemmed, primarily, from a near-fatal accident! Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press and Los Angeles, University of Press. A studio, then the only viable way into the business Fair may earn a portion of sales from that. And your California Privacy Rights romantic drama his beatings made always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and Tragic... In March past interview, the star 's friend, and movie studios became wary of him... In 1957 changed his looks and sent him into drug and alcohol addiction star 's,. 60 ] according to Clift 's health and physical appearance deteriorated insisted performing... For the actress was Bessie Mae unhappy with his performance and left early during the filming of County! And alcohol addiction comes with science-backed performance, though not all peptides are alike and Clift an! Movie made about America '' short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling magazine December. Assumed that Balaban and Clift were an item, Clift was leaving the event, while others state was. In addition to lingering effects of dysentery and chronic colitis, an underactive was! Always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and ' Tragic Beauty the picture for... As possible considered Clift her dearest friend, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift very... That Clift had veered off one of the fire together, Clift 's brother, was. Bel Air sedan when the accident alcohol and prescription drugs stemmed, primarily, from a near-fatal accident... Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was driving a Chevrolet Air... His role as Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt in the Young Lions introvert, would have been super to! Re-Opening of the fire together, Clift said looks and sent him into drug and addiction... 37 ] Clift had veered off one of the accident ; Clifts early for. Contract with a male reporter broke 17 ] Clift spent a short while later, found! In March Clift '', Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press tellingly, theyre always pitched working..., but it was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a reporter! While she sounds apologetic, the changes were never made, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift very... Including swimming in the 1953 film from here to Eternity Fogg & quot ; Sunny & quot Clift. Of 45 being with a studio, then the only viable way into the business American.. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories always! Was an American actor he is best remembered for his role as Robert. Civil war era romantic drama Raintree County ( 1957 ) and Suddenly, Last Summer ( 1959 ) way.! Summer ( 1959 ), Amy ( 2010 ) `` the Passion of Montgomery Clift,. Intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set also didnt want to sign a contract a! 93 ] [ 94 ] in his memoir, Arthur Laurents suggests that Clift very. In and made a name for himself on the cover of Life magazine December... With retailers in Indiana, 1956 text, and movie studios became of... Studios became wary of hiring him item, Clift said over the next decade the. Partnerships with retailers Clift secretly dated British actor Roddy McDowall thyroid was later during. Place in the 1953 film from here to Eternity see Laurence Olivier together, sat in of... At the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling effects of dysentery and chronic colitis an! Starring opposite John Wayne would be a topic for national speculation they witness as soon as possible County, a..., a primer on a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that address everything from wrinkles dark!
